1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector with a shorting terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,345 discloses a connector with first and second housings. A releasing member is provided in the first housing and is movable between a releasing position and a standby area located behind the releasing position. A shorting terminal is provided in the second housing for shorting terminal fittings. A resilient piece is provided in the first housing and engages a locking piece on the releasing member to hold the releasing member in the standby area when the housings are not yet connected. The releasing member is still in the standby area when the two housings are partly connected. However, the releasing member is moved to the releasing position to deform the shorting terminal and to release a shorted state of the terminal fittings when the two housings connected properly. Thus, movement of the releasing member to the releasing position indicates that the two housings have reached a properly connected state.
The releasing member may not move smoothly to the releasing position if the releasing member is displaced relative to the housing or if the releasing member and the housing are brought forcibly into contact. In such a case, an operator may mistakenly conclude that the housings are connected properly despite the partly connected state thereof and may leave the housings only partly connected.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem, and an object thereof is to enable a releasing member to be moved smoothly.